


Only Me

by RobotVoice



Category: Changeling (Visual Novel)
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Mid-Game, Romance, real lyrics, sfw, the missing scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 06:09:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19806322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobotVoice/pseuds/RobotVoice
Summary: “I’ll take her. We can go through my room ...”Elliot leads Nora to the safety of the club room, through his bedroom. But what really happened between getting to his house, and getting to the club room?Written from a mid-game perspective, bending the canonical events just a teensy bit. Unlike the majority of my fics, this is pretty much SFW, consisting of enough fluff to suffocate in.I may write another, post-game chapter, but that is TBDPlease note that this only works on Elliot's route (clearly) and if you took the all-romance choices (You can find the guide on the Changeling Steam page if you haven't already)





	Only Me

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is, by perspective of the publication of this game, waaaaaayyyy overdue. However, I finally bought it, and even before that point I knew I was going to go for Elliot first. I obviously adore all the boys, but Elliot is, in my humble opinion, the bestest boi. However, despite my own feelings in that regard, and my immense respect and adoration for the writers & creators of Changeling, I felt that his route, even when played to its best, was somewhat underwritten.  
> I was SO excited knowing that Nora was going up to Elliot's room (for.... mostly SFW reasons....) but when it just faded to black and they were in the school, I was like,,,, WHAT!?  
> SO, here is my little contribution to my fellow Elliot fans! Hope you enjoy!

“Nora, you should go home. We can talk later.” Ally said with her typical, kindly assertive attitude. Nora gulped down her heart, which had been clawing its way up her throat since she’d laid eyes on that body down in the bog. Crying all over Elliot had slightly lessened the pain, but the reminder of what she’d ran away from back home was enough to bring it right back. 

“I… I can’t go home.” She said in a shaky breath. The group regarded her with confusion and concern. 

“....What?” Ally asked. Nora shook her head, having no desire to explain. 

“It’s... complicated. I can’t go home. I’ll…. It’ll just go somewhere else.” She said, though her mind was muddled in a disarray of exhaustion as she spoke. 

“There’s nowhere else you can go this time of day.” Ally pointed out. Danny stepped forward slightly, facing Ally. 

“As much as I hate to say it, we don’t have time to deal with this at the moment. Nora, if you can’t go home then why not go to the club room for now?” Nora looked at him skeptically.

“The club? Is… is that okay?” She asked. It was a strange thought, going to school on the weekend, even more so at 3 o’clock in the morning. However, Danny nodded in confirmation, giving her a soft smile, reaffirming that he was not heartless of her situation at hand. 

“Of course it is. You can wait there while we try to get the rest of this sorted. Okay?” Nora nodded slowly, her head heavy with stress and sleep deprivation. 

“O-okay.” She replied wearily. Elliot perked up, glancing at Ally and his best friend. 

“I’ll take her. We can go through my room ...” His voice tapered slightly with hesitation, but it was clear how badly he wanted to be useful in the situation, but also how much he wanted to help Nora. Nora felt an anxious churn in her gut. 

“I don’t know if that’s wise. G-Grant Mitchell was lurking around earlier. He might still be…” Her eyes shifted to the darkness around them, the daunting feeling that the man’s eyes were watching them all at that very moment. Noticing her distressed hesitation, the group of Cryptics also looked around, though they spotted nothing out of the ordinary in their immediate vicinity. 

“He might be, but I don’t think he’s anywhere around here. I think I’d be aware of him.” Danny said, his golden canine eyes returning to their normal dilation as his gaze returned to Nora. Elliot’s footing shifted slightly in the direction of his and Nora’s houses. 

“We’ll keep an eye out as we go back. But my room  _ is _ the fastest way.” Nora’s tired mind considered this briefly. He was right after all, by way of logic and convenience, it would be stupid not to do it. She nodded vaguely, allowing Elliot to wrap his arm around her shoulders. 

“Come on.” He said softly as he began to walk her down the creaky wooden bridge. They heard the fading voices of the others behind them was they walked off into the night. 

Ally watched their silhouettes as they walked away together, her heart filled with love and concern for her dear friend. 

“Let’s go find Vilos.” Danny said, jumping into the darkness, his voice snapping Ally out of her thoughts. She turned around to see the werewolf making his way back into the forest, while Marc’s piercing blue gaze remained fixed on Nora and Elliot. The witch raised an eyebrow as she studied his expression. 

“You look like you’re having a thought, Marc.” She said. Marc glanced down at her before the two began following Danny. 

“Thank you, as a matter of fact, I have many of those.” He replied with a sarcasm Ally came to recognize as the vampire’s primary form of humor. Ally gave a side smile, though he would surely miss it in the darkness. 

“And what thought might you be having now, if I may ask?” Ally inquired. 

“Obviously you may, as you have just done so.” Marc replied in a sigh. The two made their way over a felled log, Ally jumping over it, landing quietly upon it’s rotting bark before hopping down to the moss below. Marc stepped over the log with ease, his long legs proving an advantage in the forest. 

“I was merely wondering if it is truly wise to allow those two to go off alone like that.” He finally replied. Ally blinked in surprise, her face splitting into a grin. 

“Awwwwww, you really  _ do _ care! I knew you and Elliot were buddies all along!” She giggled and bumped Marc with her elbow. Marc grunted in indignation, stepping away from her, and her elbows. 

“Don’t patronize me, I assure you, I claim no friendship with that….” He made a face like he’d just taken a deep whiff of some really sour milk, and hissed through his teeth with disgust. He quickly shook the look off, resuming his characteristic sense of composure. 

“Then… what are you so concerned about? This feral most likely won’t get to them in the club room. And they’re not in so much danger just walking down the sidewalk to Elliot’s house.”

“Quite true.” Marc replied curtly. Ally looked up at him, only to be met with an amused smirk spread across his face. 

“For someone so intelligent, you are appallingly naive, Ally.” Ally sputtered in sock and confusion. 

“Wha-!? What’re you talki-” 

“And concerning your  _ best friend _ too….” At that, he let clicked his tongue in mocking shame. Ally glared silently till his face relaxed it’s amused smirk. 

“Ally, truly you are not  _ this  _ dense as to not understand what’s occurring back there?” Marc said, sounding somewhat like he was being sincere. Ally blushed. 

“What, you mean…. Nora … and Elliot?” She asked, finally beginning to piece together what he seemed to be alluding to. Marc nodded.

“Yes,  _ Nora and Elliot _ .” He echoed in a condescending manner. Ally stopped and crossed her arms.

“Okay, I’ll have you know, you useless gob of walking testosterone, that nothing like  _ that  _ is gonna happen between those two tonight. If it were, I would know, trust me.” Marc gave a wide smile and stooped down to her height. 

“Are you  _ sure _ of that?” He asked in a low, taunting voice. Ally blinked several times. Normally, she was solid in her convictions, but the way he was speaking…. And the fact that this was  _ Marc _ she was speaking to, she began to doubt herself. 

“W-well…. Why are you so sure it will!?” She demanded. Marc stood up straight, looking serious once more. 

“It has not gone without my notice that Nora and Elliot share a definitive attraction for eachother that has been steadily growing since the first day of Nora’s arrival.” Ally’s eyes widened slightly, prompting a look of encouragement across Marc’s face before he resumed his speech. 

“It began with mostly Elliot, which I noticed in Literature. Her presence was enough to awaken him from his morning swim in his own drool. As you know, that is a rare occurrence.” He said with slightly more disdain than sarcasm. 

“I mean-” 

“At the same time, Her thoughts, while scatterbrained at best, were focused on him. After that point, I began noticing changes in Elliot’s demeanour each time Nora was around him, which coincided with her thoughts in his presence. Little things, change in heart rate, breathing, dilation of the eyes, subtle but significant. It was obvious they were both interested, but I did not suspect a very strong attachment, on either side till recently.” Ally listened with fascination as Marc’s monotone voice relayed what was possibly the most detailed gossip she had ever heard.

“You see, I came in direct physical contact with both of them, in the same vicinity of each other in the club room the other day. It was a brief encounter in a moment of unguardedness, on both accounts, but it was enough to quell my suspicions.” Ally’s eyes widened in interest, knowing precisely what he meant. For once, her curiosity betrayed her protectiveness over Nora’s privacy.

“And??” She asked eagerly. Marc shrugged. 

“They desire each other. Deeply. On Elliot’s part the desire is far more...  _ ravenous _ , but it is not unrequited, by any means.” Ally felt a rush of excitement for her friend at this news. Nora and Elliot seemed perfect for each other, she’d always thought so, and this just confirmed that her inkling was correct. 

“That’s-“ Her grin quickly subsided as she realized the unlikeliness of this scenario. Her friend was back there, walking off with the man she allegedly ‘desires’, to his bedroom, And she was receiving the testimony of their mutual attraction from none other than Marc.  _ Marc _ , who would surely never rejoice in the happiness or good fortune of another person, much less one individual he held so much contempt for, and the other whom was so wholly unconnected with him. She shot him a suspicious look. 

“And why exactly do  _ you _ care about any of this?” She asked, genuinely interested in what he could possibly give as an explanation. Marc went blank faced, and shrugged. 

“Oh I don’t, but I know you do. At the very least, you should.” He smirked once again. 

“After all, in their current state, he’ll have her on her back before you can say ‘happily ever after’.” Ally gasped quietly at his unexpected crudeness. 

“Marc!” She squeaked, her face turning red. The color subsided as she smiled and shook her head with a guffaw.

“You…. you seriously need a hobby man.” 

* * *

Nora and Elliot walked along the moonlit sidewalk, both of them wrought in a suffocating silence. The crickets had long since migrated from the cold, leaving only the faint panting of the distant city, and the chilled autumn wind to break the quiet of the icy dawn. After a few long moments, Nora could bear it no longer. The shame she felt gave her the ounce of courage she needed to speak. 

“I’m sorry I ran away from you….” She said timidly, internally kicking herself immediately after, as it suddenly occurred to her how much she and Elliot seemed to be apologizing to eachother. To her slight relief however, Elliot just shook his head with a heavy exhale. 

“No, I’m sorry you saw that. It was probably…. Gross, right?” He said with a cringe in spite of himself. Nora shrugged. 

“It’s not that it was ‘gross’ really.” She said. Gross hadn’t even occurred to her in that moment. Shocking, disturbing, terrifying… now those were some proper adverbs to use to use for that scenario. Though, she knew better than to say that out loud to Elliot. She cocked an eyebrow. 

“What exactly happened?” She asked, the true question finally being asked. Though she’d been so relieved to hear him say what she thought happened wasn’t so, she still had no idea of what she had really witnessed. Elliot’s face took on a serious expression. 

“Marc and I found that person - and the culprit. As we thought, a Feral. It was ...” Nora glanced at Elliot as he gave a shudder. 

“Horrible. I’ve never seen one until tonight…” For a moment, his eyes seemed to space out at the memory. He quickly shook his head, picking up his pace a little. 

“Anyway, it ran off when it saw us. Marc chased it, and I went to help the person. Thankfully they were alive, but… Well, remember when I said I can numb injuries?” 

“Yeah?” Nora asked, the memory of his hot, wet tongue sliding across the cuts on her hand. She clenched and relaxed her hand at the memory, feeling that same, strange tingling exhilaration rush through her as it did then. 

“It’s actually… a sort of  _ paralytic _ venom. In small doses it just creates a numbing effect. But in large amounts it can do things like paralyze major organs.” The two took a turn around a corner, their houses now in sight down the road. 

“I was basically trying to remove as much of the venom as possible. I mean, it’s not really the best method, but I didn’t know what else to do. I don’t even know if I really helped.” He spoke so quietly, a feeling of intense agony wrapped around each word. As she watched his pained face in the faint light of morning while he spoke, she realized all of this was still fresh in his mind and heart, still tormenting him as they strolled along the sidewalk. 

“I hope it did….” She managed in barely a whisper, finding herself at a loss as to what she could possibly say or do that would lessen such trauma. Elliot finally returned her gaze. 

“So do I. I’m just really sorry I scared you.” He said, his voice teeming on the point of breakage as he apologized once more. Nora waved a hand dismissively. 

“I was already scared before I saw you. That’s probably why I completely freaked out.” Elliot thought for a moment before arching an eyebrow. 

“I scared you because you were scared?” He asked in an almost teasing manner. Nora gesticulated indiscriminately in front of her.

“Don’t agree with my logic. It’s early. And I’m cranky.” She grunted, truly feeling the weight of exhaustion upon her as they neared his house. She looked up with a broken sadness across Elliot’s front lawn at the house she no longer felt was her home. All the lights were off, mirroring how Nora felt inside. Elliot’s brow furrowed as he looked from Nora’s face to the darkened house. 

“Why did you have to leave your house?” He asked quietly. His eyes returned to her face, still fixed with hurt and exhaustion. Elliot stepped closer, his face serious, yet full of concern. 

“What did Spencer do?” He asked. Nora gulped and took a deep breath, removing her gaze from the dark house to her muddy flats.

“He… he was waiting for me in my room when I got back. He knows.” Her eyes lifted to meet Elliot’s. 

“He knows everything.” She said in an exhale. Without words or hesitation, Elliot closed the gap between them, pulling Nora into a tight hug. He propped his chin atop Nora’s head, allowing her to bury her face in his neck. He felt a warm, gentle puff of breath from her ice-cold nose tickle the pale skin below his choker. 

“Okay. It’s okay. Don’t worry about that. We can handle that too.” He murmured comfortingly. Nora blinked slowly, feeling the flutter of her heart pressed against Elliot’s firm chest. It never ceased to amaze her how warm he was compared to the chilly fall air. Weren’t vampires supposed to be like, super cold?? If they were, then Elliot was doing a terrible job at it. She felt his right arm slide away from its hold around her upper back before the gentle caress of his knuckle traced down from her forehead to her cheek. As his uncalloused thumb grazed her lower lip, she lifted her face to look up at him. His brow was furrowed, his eyes glassy and slightly squinted. His lips were parted as if he were about to speak once more, but no words came. Slowly, he lowered his hand from her face and released the hug before taking her hand in his. His eyes left from their shared gaze as he turned to his front door. 

“Let’s go to the club room. It’s freezing out here.” His hand tugged her along as they made their way up the walk to the door. Nora made no argument as he led her to the concrete porch, her heart and mind longing to be somewhere warm safe again. Elliot released her hand to reach into his pocket for a red-painted house key. He shoved the tool into the key slot, and silently opened the door. As soon as the two teens passed over the threshold, Nora caught the sweet, pungent aroma of incense from within. She breathed deeply, the scent, along with the warmth, was already alleviating a lot of her stress. She never got to burn any incense in her own home, since her mother had always hated the stuff. 

Nora nervously scanned her surroundings. Ahead, a steep staircase led to a darkened second floor. To her right stood a door that she assumed led to the garage. To the left, a high-ceilinged living room with a large fireplace at the far end rested in the dim light shafting through thin, white curtains. Each wall of the living room was painted a different color, and adorned with A mishmash of art from foreign cultures, as well as a copy of the iconic “3 Days of Peace and Music” Woodstock poster, and the floors were covered with multiple ornately woven, multicolor rugs. Above the hearth, a long string of Buddhist prayer flags hung, and four meditation pillows lay around the unlit fireplace. Instead of a couch, a large futon in of hand-woven cloth in multiple colors and designs rested beneath a tapestry of suns, moons, and other celestial bodies. A thin stream of ribbon-like smoke rose from an incense burner, amidst an assemblance of unlit candles upon a stout, wooden coffee table. Nora grinned at Elliot, who sat at the base of the stairs untying his purple converse high tops.

“I never would’ve guessed your family was the hippy type!” She set an a low voice, quietly mindful of the other residents of the house, who were definitely asleep at this hour. Elliot laughed though his nose as he freed one of his feet from it’s slightly muddy shoe.

“Oh yeah, they’re all peace, love, ‘meditate-on-your-chakras’ kinda people. I haven’t tested it, but I’m pretty sure if I took them, they could see the club room; their third eyes are  _ wiiiiiide _ open.” He gave Nora a playful eye roll as he began untying his other shoe. He nodded to her muddy flats.

“Go ahead and take those off, I’ll take care of ‘em later.” Nora quickly complied, eager to be free of the marshy feeling inside the ruined shoes. As soon as Elliot’s feet were free, he set both of their shoes aside and stood. 

“Don’t stand up, I’ll get you something to wipe your feet off. Mom’s all about mud, just not on the rugs.” Nora nodded in agreement as Elliot quietly strolled past the staircase towards where she guessed was the kitchen. Using her hands, she scooted on her behind across the wooden floor of the entryway, closer to the living room to get a better look. In the low light, she spotted a small collection of photographs hung in frames upon a wall. They appeared to be of family members, grinning back at her from past Christmases, birthdays, and other occasions. One picture in particular caught her eye however, for its somewhat familiar subject. A little boy with black hair and dark, forest green eyes smiled excitedly from within the frame. His wide grin was missing a tooth, and in his hand he clutched a brown bat plush toy. Nora’s lips formed into a smile as realization took her. 

“Elliot?” She muttered at the little boy.

“Yeah?” The real Elliot whispered in reply. Nora jumped slightly, looking up to see him approaching, holding a paper towel roll in one hand, and a glass of water in the other. He knelt down to hand her the roll. 

“Here. Also, you probably need to drink this, you walked a  _ long _ way tonight. Nora took the glass first, hastily gulping down every last drop with a finishing gasp of immense relief. 

“Thank you!” She breathed, taking the paper towel roll. Elliot nodded with a smile as he took the empty glass. 

“No problem.” He said with a quiet cheerfulness. Nora ripped a sheet of paper towel and began wiping her feet off before glancing back at the photo. 

“Is that you?” She asked with a knowing look. Elliot’s eyes went straight to the picture, and his face tensed in embarrassment. 

“Oh, yeah, ha ha. That was back when I could actually, you know…. Have my picture taken.” He said, though his face showed none of the sadness Nora would expect from such a thing. He stepped into the living room, gazing over the photos. 

“Your eyes used to be a lot darker.” Nora commented as she tore another paper towel. Elliot shrugged. 

“Yeah. My teeth used to be a lot more rounded too.” He said as-a-matter-of-factly. 

“No kidding.” Nora teasingly agreed as she stood up, holding the muddy paper towels in a balled-up wad. She stepped closer to Elliot to get a better look at the picture. 

“Still super adorable though.” She said with a smirk. Elliot blushed and laughed a little, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Thanks. I bet I’m not the only one though.” He said with a devilish look. Nora shook her head.

“No way, I looked like a boy when I was little. People thought Spencer and I were identical twins.” Elliot chuckled affectionately.

“Maybe I’ll get to see  _ your _ pictures soon?” Nora shrugged.

“Maybe… um, where should I…?” She lifted the dirty wad of paper. 

“Oh right, c’mon.” He said as he beckoned her back into the kitchen. Nora scanned her surroundings as she followed. She glanced at a little statue of a laughing Buddha, nestled comfortably in a pile of pennies within a hollowed alcove in the wall. It was funny how different Elliot’s house was on the inside, though both of their houses looked equally boring from without. 

The kitchen was filled with color, the cupboards all painted a faded, rustic green, accompanied by a vintage-looking yellow fridge, and a small dining table to the side, adorned with a multicolor tablecloth. The walls were exposed brick, and all around a skylight hung potted plants and baskets of fresh veggies. 

_ “Elliot’s family are my kinda people…”  _ Nora thought as she gazed around the room. 

“Trash can’s under the sink. Do you need more water?” Elliot asked. Nora shook her head as she opened the cupboard under the kitchen sink, dropping the wad of paper towels in the little bin inside. 

“No thanks, I’m okay now. We should probably just head on up to get to the club room.” She replied. 

“Right…” Elliot looked at her, studying her features as he leaned back against the kitchen counter. He then cleared his throat. 

“Actually, um, I was thinking…. Would you like to take a shower?” Elliot asked tentatively. 

“Oh!” Nora’s brow lifted, as she suddenly became extremely self aware of how she must’ve looked…. And smelled. She glanced down at her muddy, disheveled clothes, gripping her filthy hair. 

_ “Oh god, I can’t believe I actually let him hug me like this…”  _ She thought, her shame and embarrassment surmounting all other thoughts. 

“I mean, you could totally take one in the school gym showers, but I’ve actually got shampoo and stuff….” He let out a nose-exhale of a laugh as he smiled nervously.

“And you know, at least here you won’t be showering where an uncountable number of people have definitely peed in after PE class.” Nora made a sickened face.

“Ehh.” She said in disgust before chuckling quietly. That was definitely true…. Though it was a slightly mortifying idea, to be showering in his house, it was a tempting offer. She became uncomfortably aware of all the filth covering her, and knew amongst all else that she just wanted to be clean as soon as possible. Not to mention, Vilos would no doubt have a conniption if he saw her come into the club room in  _ this _ state, or even touched the library door. She took a deep breath and swallowed her pride. 

“Actually, that sounds really great, thanks.” Elliot smiled wide and stood up straight from the counter. 

“Okay, follow me!” He said, and began exiting the kitchen. Nora followed, leaving a small distance between them, praying she didn’t leave her stench on Elliot after their hug. 

Elliot let her back to the entryway, and opened the garage door. The stale smell of gasoline, rubber, and dust contrasted the sweet and inviting scent of the living room and kitchen. Elliott’s garage, like most garages, was littered with tools and stray belongings that didn’t exactly have a place in the main house. At the far wall, a spiral staircase led up to the ceiling, where it was met by hatch door. When they reached the top, Elliot gave the door a decisive push, easily opening up to the room above. He then held out his hand to assist Nora in climbing in. Once inside, her eyes widened. 

Elliot’s room was surprisingly the very definition of grungy coziness. It also smelled of incense, but of a different, woodsier kind.The hatch door opened up to a mini kitchen, with a half-sized stove/oven, mini fridge, microwave, and sink. Across from the kitchen was another small room which she assumed was the bathroom. The actual bedroom section was slightly larger than her own room, and relatively clean, apart from a few articles of clothing hanging around. Upon the painted red walls hung posters and drawings of multiple sizes and styles, some were merch from various bands, others appeared to be just unique works of art; all illuminated by a long string of multicolored Christmas lights all around the ceiling. His bed, A full sized floor bed with a large, puffy, purple comforter and matching pillows was tucked snugly in the corner, with a small leather couch at its foot. At the far end of the room, just above his bed, the light of dawn gently glowed through a window with a deep alcove of a windowsill. Inside the alcove, beneath a potted hanging plant, was a navy blue cushion, laden with a small stack of books. The next thing that caught Nora’s eye was a record player, appearing to be vintage in style, resting atop a stout shelf stuffed with records. 

“Wow…” Nora said quietly as she looked around. Apart from Spencer’s, she’d never been in a boy’s room before. It wasn’t at all what she’d expected. Elliot opened the bathroom door and switched the light on. 

“You can go ahead and start cleaning off. I’ll bring you a towel and…. Something else to wear.” Elliot said, stepping back for her to enter. 

“Thank you so much, Elliot.” She sighed gratefully. 

“You’re welcome.” He said with a sweet smile before shutting the door behind her. The bathroom was painted a sea green inside, illuminated by old fashioned lights above the sink and standing shower. Nora turned to look at her reflection in the full-body mirror next to the shower, which made up for the lack of mirror above the sink. Her hair was like a rat’s nest, stringy, muddy, and full of tangles and bits of forest. Her face was splattered with drying mud, apart from where Brenna had licked the scratches upon her cheek. 

“Cat-people are weird…” She muttered as she thought of someone actually putting their mouth to that bog crud. Finally she began stripping off her foul-smelling clothes, wondering if it were possible to get the name of that bog changed. 

_ “I just hope the stink won’t literally last forever….”  _ Nora thought as she amassed the reeking pile into a corner next to a small trash bin. She then stepped into the shower, and turned it on, inhaling sharply as the hot water came gushing out upon her cold, damp body. She turned around and let the hot water assault her hair and back, sending liquid muck down the drain. As she stood there, the steam surrounding her, warming her to her core, the events of the past few hours began to replay in her mind. That, combined with the realization of just how bad her feet and body hurt, led her to slowly descend to a crouching position upon the floor of the shower. As all the stress and exhaustion began building up within her, she began to shake and sob. Her hot tears were surely invisible in the downpour of the shower. For a moment, she just sat there, whimpering as more filth ran down from her hair to the drain, till a gentle knocking at the door interrupted her. 

“Nora? I’ve got a-” She heard Elliot’s voice begin, but then abruptly stop. She whipped her head around to see his fogged shape in the doorway through the glass of the shower.

“Are you alright? I… were you crying just now?” She heard him ask, as she saw his shape nearing the shower. Nora stood on her knees, instinctively covering her breasts, even though she knew there was no way he could see them.

“I’m fine!” She said quickly. Elliot was quiet for a moment on the other side of the glass. 

“Alright. I uh, I put your towel and some clothes on top of the toilet for you. I hope they’ll be okay, probably a little baggy, but you know…. They’re clean.” He said. Nora slowly stood, watching his shape intently as she lowered her arms to her sides. 

“Thank you.” She said over the sound of the shower. 

“Uh huh….” She barely heard Elliot grunt in reply from the outside the shower door. Though her image was definitely fogged, and most likely void of details from where he stood, she could tell he was staring. A deep blush crept across her cheeks, but she remained still where she stood. The shape of Elliot began shuffling back towards the exit. 

“O-okay, you can use the comb in there… and any of the soaps.” 

“Thank you…” Nora repeated. A smile crept across her face as she envisioned the crimson blush that was no doubt overtaking his pale face at that very moment.

“Uh huh… I’ll just … let you, um…. Yeah.” And with that, he exited out the door, closing it with a quiet thud. Nora smiled a little, wiping her face and turning her mind back to the shower. Nora spotted the blue, wide-toothed comb at the top of a wire rack, and began working out the tangles before she looked around at the various bottles on the floor. 

“Dye-safe 2 in one…” She read in a mutter as she picked up a black bottle. She popped open the cap and took a deep whiff, her heart instantly melting at the sweet scent. 

_ “Smells like Elliot…”  _ Nora thought fondly. She reached up to feel that her scalp was free of most of the debris from the bog before squeezing out a generous dollop of the opaque liquid and began massaging it into her hair. After carefully weeding out most of the tangles, she let her hair soak in the conditioner, as she scrubbed down her body with a loofah, made soapy from a cologne-smelling body wash. Finally she gave herself a thorough rinse-down, the muck replaced with bubbles as the water rushed down the drain. 

As Nora stepped out of the shower, she realized how badly she’d needed that. Upon the wooden lid of the toilet, a stack of cloth awaited her. Atop a red towel was a folded and a pair of faded grey skinny jeans, and a baseball style t-shirt, with black sleeves, and a white middle a design of a cat face in multiple colors, grinning above the word; ACIDCAT, scrawled in purple spraypaint. Nora quickly dried off and began dressing herself. The jeans, worn to an impressive softness, were somewhat snug around her thighs, and bunched generously at her ankles, but otherwise fit like a glove. She briefly wondered if Elliot had a hair dryer, but knew she wouldn’t use it anyway, since it was still ungodly early in the morning, and Elliot’s family was definitely still snoozing. As she turned to exit the bathroom, squeezing her hair out with the towel, her eyes fell upon her reflection and she froze. The woman inside looked back at her with ice-blue eyes, framed by her snow white hair and skin. Nora’s gaze held steadily on those eyes as she neared the mirror. Either she was too burnt out to be scared of her, or she had known all along that she was always there. Lurking in the back of her mind, out of the corners of her eyes, sneaking into her sketchbook…. 

“Who are you?” Nora whispered, the woman whispering it back in perfect unison in the reflective world. Nora stepped closer. 

“Are you me?” She put her hand to the cold glass, and the reflection did the same. Nora stared the woman down, feeling she knew nothing about her. The cold, remote eyes told all; it wasn’t Nora in there. She looked young at first glance, but Nora could sense the old soul within those frozen eyes. 

“Where are you trying to take me every night?” She asked in a whisper, knowing she would receive no reply, but she wanted nothing more than to grab that woman and bombard her with all the questions that had been holding her mind captive all this time. She put her other hand to the glass. 

“Are you the one who hurt my brother and made him hate me so much?” She had so much more to ask, and as she thought, a quiet hiss of a whisper tugged at the back of her mind, and she knew, somehow, that whisper held the answers. Suddenly Nora’s growing rage for the woman twisted into fear, and she realized that whatever answer she had to give, she wasn’t ready for it yet. Nora pulled her hands away from the mirror like it had burned her, and backed away, her breath caught in her chest. 

“Nora? You good in there?” Elliot’s voice from outside the room made a crack in Nora’s thoughts, and snapped her back to reality. She turned to face the door. 

“Yeah, I just finished!” Nora called softly, regaining her bearings. She glanced back at the mirror to see herself again, her red hair soaking the shoulders of Elliot’s t-shirt. She took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, both out of relief and…. She didn’t know what. 

Finally, Nora approached the door and swung it open to see Elliot waiting outside. She forced a smile, returning his genuine one. 

“Better?” He asked. Nora nodded, smoothing the soft shirt over her torso. 

“Better.” She replied.

“Yeah…..” Elliot said absentmindedly, as his eyes studied her appearance. A rich blush overtook his cheeks as his eyes snapped back to hers. 

“You uh, you look good in th-, ah,  _ my _ shirt….” He sputtered with visible nervousness. Nora smirked, though she shared all the same nervousness, becoming sheepishly aware of how the sudden change in air temperature from the steamy bathroom to Elliot’s comparatively chilly room was affecting her chestal region.... 

“Thank you. For your shirt and all…” She looked down at the pile of her soiled clothes. 

“Um, I guess I’ll just hold onto these...” She stepped back to grab the pile of soiled clothes. 

“Oh! Actually, you can just drop those in my hamper, i’ll take care of it later.” Nora’s eyebrows raised in surprise. A heavy drop of shame and mortification hung low in her gut. He was already doing so much for her, it was getting embarrassing. And besides, she was pretty sure he’d have no idea how to wash a bra, and didn’t want him asking his mom or sister asking about it.

“No, no, I can’t make you do that….” She began to insist, but was promptly interrupted by Elliot taking the reeking pile out of her hands. 

“And I can’t make you carry them around. It’s no big deal, mom likes to take care of the laundry anyway, I’m sure she won’t mess it up.” He spoke over his shoulder as he dropped the wad on top of an already full hamper. Momentarily forgetting to argue, Nora took a glance around the room, noticing the clothes that had previously been tossed about were now all gone. 

“Your room is seriously cool….” she said. Elliot looked quite happy, and almost a little relieved to hear that. He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck.

“You think so?” He asked. Nora nodded eagerly.

“Totally! I love the lights, and your little reading nook. And  _ that _ !” Her eyes glimmered as she pointed at the record player. Elliot gave a proud grin as he stepped up to the shelf. 

“Thanks! I got it for Christmas last year, and it’s  _ amazing _ . Digital sound is good, but you know, the warmth of vinyl ...” He said fondly as he traced a loving finger along the tone arm. Nora grinned knowingly as she approached. 

“Ain’t nothin’ better than that.” She said. Elliot nodded in reply before looking down at the shelf. 

“You know it. And you know what….” he ran his finger along the records, searching through the dozens of albums. Finally he gave one of the record covers a tug, smoothly pulling it from the shelf. The cover was moderately worn and chipped at the edges, but the dark, shiny front still showed the clear image of a middle aged man playing an acoustic guitar, with the name: “Johnny McEvoy” hanging above his head. 

“Since you’re here, I might as well take the opportunity…” Elliot opened the album cover and delicately removed a shiny black record from within. He gave Nora a side smile as he delicately spun the record, placing it upon the platter.

“To play  _ this _ for you.” He twisted a dial on the player, and placed the needle upon the face of the record. The record crackled deliciously before the rich sound of a wistful guitar played through the device. Elliot glanced back at Nora, his face deep with blush and smiling sheepishly. Nora gave a quizzical look before taking a seat upon the soft, leather couch. A flute accompanied the guitar, increasing the relaxing, melancholy sound humming through the room. Nora leaned forward and hugged her shins, resting her head on her knees as she relaxed. Once again, Elliot had surprised her with just how different he really was, compared to how he appeared. Elliot slowly crept around her, taking a seat on his bed just as the lyrics began: 

_ The violets were scenting the woods… _

_ Nora…. _

_ Displaying their charms to the bees… _

Nora lifted her head from her knees. 

_ “Did I hear that right….?”  _ She wondered, certain she’d heard her name in that verse. 

_ When I first said I loved only you… _

_ Nora…. _

_ And you said you loved only me….  _

_ That  _ confirmed it. The man in the song was singing about a woman named Nora. Nora quickly looked over at Elliot, who gazed back at her, his face still quite red, but his eyes now dazed and relaxed as ever. A small smile flickered across Nora’s face, which quickly went just as flushed as his.

_ “Is this…. another confession?”  _ She wondered, just as the next verse began. 

_ The chestnut blooms gleamed through the glade… _

_ Nora…. _

_ A robin sang loud from a tree…. _

_ When I first said I loved only you… _

_ Nora…. _

_ And you said you loved only me…. _

Nora felt a throb of her heart from deep within her. This was…. so beautiful. If this were truly a confession, it was the loveliest one she’d ever had… And even if it weren’t, it was still a gorgeous song, which she felt was all hers now. 

A movement in the corner of Nora’s eye broke her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Elliot standing up from his bed, his bright green eyes gazing down at her as he held out a hand. Nora glanced from his hand to his face, gulping nervously before finally grasping it. Elliot lifted her gently to a standing position, maintaining his now haunting gaze as he stepped back, leading her to the center of his room. Placing his other hand on her lower back, with Nora copying the action, the two began to sway to the soft music. Either out of nervousness or instinct, Nora placed her head on Elliot’s shoulder, closing her eyes. She heard the faint sound of him inhaling deeply as the next verse sang through the room.

_ The golden-robed daffodils shone… _

_ Nora… _

_ And danced in the breeze on the lea… _

_ When I first said I loved only you… _

_ Nora… _

_ And you said you loved only me… _

Elliot and Nora swayed in tandem with the song, holding eachother gently in their arms. Neither of them really knew how to dance, but this took only instinct, and the music to guide them. The two took a gentle turn, the hold of their hands increasing in tightness. Nora opened her eyes once more as a thought came to her. 

“You know….” She said softly. 

“Hm?” Elliot said through his chest, allowing Nora to feel the deep vibration against her. She smirked, lifting her head to face Elliot, and releasing his hand to sling both her hands over his shoulders. 

“I was sure I had you pegged as a metalhead or something.” She said in a sweetly teasing manner. Elliot chuckled, placing his now empty hand on her back to join his other one. 

“I mean, you weren’t wrong exactly….” Nora eyed the multiple posters around the room. 

“Clearly.” She said. The words of the song melded into the background as their minds unknowingly focused on each other. 

“But-“ Elliot daringly released Nora’s middle, taking her hand to spin her around. Nora squeaked joyfully as she spun on her heel before returning to Elliot’s arms. Elliot grinned, looking far more confident as he held her close.

“It’s okay to like more than one kind of music, there’s always room for diversity! And for this song in particular, I’ve always had… a bit of a soft spot.” Nora cocked an eyebrow with a curious smile. 

“Why’s that?” She asked. 

“Well, this one time when I was a kid, my mom took me to this Irish pub-like restaurant. An old man was singing this song, and playing the guitar up on this little stage. It sounds weird, but it moved me... Somehow, I could picture her so clearly when he sang about her…” His eyes softened as they traversed down the features of her face. Nora knew she’d already been blushing, but now she was certain her face was as red as her hair. The heat building up in her cheeks and ears seemed to double as Elliot brought his face to hers. She closed her eyes, feeling his forehead against hers, the breath from their noses intermingling. The last words of the song were nothing more than a hum in the background as their swaying slowed even further, their arms absentmindedly wrapping around eachother. 

_ “This is… so perfect…”  _ Nora thought, unable to think of anything else to describe what she felt at that moment. All her problems, all the stress she’d been going through, the whole rest of the world seemed to just fade away with the music. 

_ “The music….”  _ She suddenly realised the song had ended, and the record was crackling once more before the tone arm lifted off the record, leaving the room in silence. She opened her eyes just a sliver to see Elliot’s relaxed face. His eyes were still closed, still lost in the daze she was beginning to pull out of. Just as Nora began to long for this moment not to end, the lack of music to move to reminded her body and mind just how tired she was. She shuddered, feeling exhaustion slowly take its grip on her. Elliot’s eyes finally opened, slightly first, then wider as he noticed her slightly pained expression. 

“Nora?” He asked softly. Nora smiled tiredly, shaking her head. 

“It’s nothing, I’m just…. Really,  _ really _ tired…” She said in a sigh. For a moment, Elliot hesitated.

“You’re shaking…” He whispered, holding her tighter as she inadvertently swayed. As he said it, Nora became aware of it. A violent tremor, rattling her body, signalling that it was finally giving in. All Nora could muster was a tired groan as she nestled her face in the crook of Elliot’s neck, taking refuge in the warmth and darkness it brought. A whisper of a smile graced Elliot’s face. Though he knew there was an exceptionally good chance he’d regret it in the morning, he knew heading to the club right now was not what Nora needed. He began to walk backwards towards his bed, his arms remaining around her frame, holding her steady, and close. 

“C’mon….” He chuckled into her hair. Nora, still somewhat adrift in their mutual daze, and sinking into her own exhaustion, made no protest as he pulled her along with him. Elliot walked back till he was nearly against the wall, standing on his bead, both of their feet sinking into the blankets like sand. Elliot slowly began to crouch down into the softness of his bed, steadily guiding Nora with him. Halfway down, her legs wobbled and gave out from beneath her, allowing her to plop down onto the purple blankets. 

“Whoa, careful!” Elliot chuckled, sitting down next to her. Through Nora’s blurry vision, she watched as Elliot adjusted the large, puffy pillows at the head of the bed. Those pillows were calling her name, the mattress was drawing her in like a magnet to her core. Without another word, she flopped down onto the luxurious softness of Elliot’s bed, closing her eyes as she breathed in the sweet scent of him lingering on the pillow sheets. She heard Elliot chuckle, as well as the sound of something being unplugged before the room beyond her eyelids went dark. The vague feeling of the blanket being pulled out from beneath her, then wrapped around her further coaxed the sleep that had been closing in on her. 

“Goodnight…. Nora ...” She heard a whisper in her ear before she felt a cool pair of lips on her forehead.

“Hmmm…” She hummed in response before the world around her faded into darkness. 

**Author's Note:**

> Elliot, you slick mofo ;P  
> Don't worry tho, he's a gentleman, Nora is in good hands.  
> The "hippie" thing was something I knew I needed to write in for Elliot's family, after he assured Nora that they were chill about him being a vampire. I thought to myself; "Now what kinda people would be THAT cool?" And the answer came!  
> If I write more, I might even include Elliot's fam as characters, including Elliot's mother, whom I have learned is named Kate, via the Steamberry Studio's blog!  
> The Lyrics above are from the song "Nora" by Johnny McEvoy, which you can listen to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oN9mqKwlzM


End file.
